Top for rumble seats of automobiles



Nov. 29, 1932. E. 'H. BENN TOP FOR RUMBLE SEATS OF AUTOMOBILES FiledNov. 1, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l ln-vehTor. 'Edwurd H. Ben n yMMkM ATTys.

Nov. 29, 1932.

E. H. BENN 7 TOP FOR RUMBLE SEATS OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 1. 1929 Fig.2.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v lnvenTor. Edward H. Ben n Nov. 29, 1932. E. Q. BENN1,889,430

TOP FOR RUMBLE SEATS OF AUTOMOBILES Filed NOV. 1, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3k lnv enTor.

Edward H. Ben n byM A'tTys.

Nov. 29., 1932. E. H. BENN 1,889,430

TOP FOR RUMBLE SEATS OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 1, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Fig. 14. Fig.15.

lnvenTor.

Edwurpl H. Benn v ATTys.

Patented Nov. 29, 1932 UNITED STATE s PATENT omen EDWARD H. BENN,. OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR- TO RUMBLETOP CORPORA- TION, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF IMASSACHUSETTS TOP non RUMBLE sears orAUTOMOBILES Application filed November rumble seat located within therear deck pit compartment of a roadster, coupe or like body type ofautomobile; my improvements more particularly have to do with a noveldisposition and effective control applied to a comparativelylight-weight foldable P Comprising a pair of fixed-length stanchionswhich when locked into their-raised position, serve to rigidly support acovered bipartite outrigger structure that extends rearwardly away fromsaid main supports over the rum ble seat and which structure is adaptedto be readily collapsed forwardly against the erected stanchions tofacilitate the passengers entrancetoor egress from the seat. Inaddition, the said collapsed bow together with its released stanchionsis herein arranged to be bodily lowered into the rumble seat compartmentand shifted forwardly for storage in the front part thereof, when notneeded for sheltering purposes. K

The present disclosure is not only applicable as new equipment but isalso readily attachable to most used automobiles of the stipulated type.without necessitating changes in the prevailing structure thereof. Suchcars are coventionally equipt with a passenger or drivers compartmenthaving a main top extending wholly forwardly from the back region of thefront seat while its rear deck commonly provides for a twopassenger pithaving a forwardly faced, transversely disposed rumble seat that is keptin a fixed rearwardly spaced relation to said front seat and access towhich passenger pit is usually afforded through an upturned mouth ofrectangular contour. vThe rumble seat may be disposed below the decklevel and its folding back arranged to close the pit mouth when therumble seat is not to be used.

Betweenthefront drivers seat and the rumble seat, there is ordinarilyfound sufficient deck room under which my col-lapsed top may be storedwithout undue interfer ence with the rumble seat occupants, The meanswhereby it is preferred to shiftably 1, 1929. Serial No. 404,121.

guide my auxiliary top out of or drop same into said stowage, maycomprise a pair of runways mounted interiorly of the rumble seatcompartment in adjacency to the respective seat ends and these extendrearwardly upwardfrom the lower front part of my stowage space forattachment to the deck.

The base end region of each erected top stanchion may be pivotallyassociated with a suitable carrier, respectively adapted to cooperateslidably with said runways. Simple manipulative locking means areprovided for retaining the top supports in raised position about therespective carrier pivots. It is preferred to bring the topmost ends ofthe raised stanchions into a substantially rectangular relation to theupper path of said runways and to releasably hold these stanchions in ths forwardly inclined relationship. Such rigid mast-like dispositionallows my outrigger bow structure to be conveniently extended rearwardlyfrom said stanchions or to be broken down and folded thereagainst by oneof the occupants while seated in the rumble compartment, all withoutfirst requiring the unfastening of any supplemental brace means otherthan my stay-straps.

The present invention is more largely concerned with certain structuralfeatures such as improved runway details and carriers therefor asdisposed Within the rumble sea-t compartment; also with means forrigidly holding and locking my shiftable top stan- Cl'fOllS in theirelevated operatlve position, and the like. The broader aspects of topmanipulation having to do with the collapsing of the foldable outriggerbow against said erected stanchioiis or with bodily carrying such foldedtop into or out of stowage, is more explicitly defined and claimed in myco-pending companion application Serial No. 404,120 as-filed Nov; 1,1929. The disclosure herein shows a fold-able outrigger top structure ofa different type from that described in the cited companion application,although both types are intended to function in a similar manner.

obj ectof my invention is to devise improvedguide means for an auxiliarytop assembly of the character indicated and which top shall be bodilyshiftable and constructed, mounted and otherwise adapted to be readilyraised into shelter position over the rumble seat and capable uponreversed movement, of being stored away underneath the deck in front ofthe passengers, all such operations being performed while the top userremains comfortably seated in the rumble seat.

To this end and the accomplishment of other new and useful results, saidinvention further consists in novel disposition of top structure and allof which will hereinafter be set forth in detail.

Reference is had to the accompanying four sheets of drawings, which areillustrative of a specific embodiment of my disappearing auxiliary top,particularly as applied to sheltering vehicle rumble seats and capableof being lowered into the deck pit, and in which drawings Fig. 1 is afragmentary view of an automobile having a rumble seat and equipped withmy improved top;

Fig. 2 is a section on substantially the line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View showing the means for supporting the top;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with parts broken out showing the top unlockedfrom the supporting runners and in position to be folded and stored intothe compartment;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55, Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a View of the lower end of the front bow;

F ig. 8 is a view of a series of bearing members, anyone of which may beused in the lower end of the front bow and by which an adjustment of thebow may be effected;

Fig. 9 is a view of the clamp for clamping the rear of the top to theupper edge of the back of the rumble seat;

Fig. 10 is a side view of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 illustrates an inside view of the upper end of the guide withthe runner in its uppermost position;

Fig. 12 shows the runner unlocked from the upper end of the guide andmoved part way down the guide;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but illustrating the clamp released;

Fig. 14 is a perspective View of the reinforcing member at the bottom ofthe bow;

Fig. 15 is a detail View of the lower end of one of the arms of the bow8.

Turning now to Fig. 1, this is intended to indicate certain conventionalmotor car elements that may be directly associated with my auxiliarydeck-pit top. The numeral 1 indicates in its entirety, an automobilepreferably of the conventional roadster or coup body type having a mainor front passenger compartment designated as 1A and in which is mounteda transversely disposed drivers seat 1B having a fixed forwardly-facedback 1C. The tail end of said front compartment usually terminates inthe vicinity of the back 1C as shown, while the main top 1D reachesforwardly over the seat 113 in the conventional manner. Theplatform-like deck 19 extends horizontally rearward from said back;underneath this deck, there is located a rear compartment orsupplementary passenger receiving pit 3, which may be kept separatedfrom the main compartment by the inclined forward partition wall 47represented in dotted outline. Said deck is provided with the usualopening or upturned pit mouth 19A of rectangular contour, having aforwardly disposed transverse mouth edge 19B that is preferably keptrearwardly spaced some distance from the tail end of the main top 1D.Said edge may be trimmed with a cross-sectionally U shaped drip troughas indicated, and this trough may also extend around the longitudinal edes of the pit mouth sides as at 23. (See igs. 2 and 3.)

Disposed directly below the pit mouth level, is a rumble seat 2 which isgenerally arranged cross-wise of the automobile and in a rearwardlyspaced relation to the drivers seat 1B. Interposed between these seatsand located immediately behind the partition wall 47, is a top stowage3A which also serves as a foot space for the seat occupants. In the moremodern makes of cars, the forward transverse edge 2A of said rumble seatis likely to be disposed in substantial vertical alignment beneath thepit edge 1913 as shown, which in turn forms a neck-like or contractedentranceway 813 leading from the seat space 30 into said stowage.

The rumble seat 2 is ordinarily provided with a back 4 of the foldingtype which as pivotally mounted at 5, may also serve as a lid to closethe pit mouth. The upturned swinging edge 15 of said back is commonlyprovided with an overhanging brim flange 50 adapted to be receivedwithin said U shaped pit trough to form a weatherproof seal therewithwhen the back serves as a closure to shelter the unused rumble seat.

All of the hereinbefore described roadster or coup body structureconforms to conventional practice, and the present invention is morelargely concerned with providing a supplementary top of the disappearingtype, adapted to shelter the rumble seat 2.

While any suitable type of foldable top designated generally as 6, maybe used for present purposes, it is preferred to resort to onecomprising a pair of fixed-length main front bow side-arms orinterconnected support stanchions such as 8. In the illustra tiveembodiment of my invention, a rear or non-partite outrigger bow 9 ispivotally supported at 11 by the rearwardly disposed bow extensions 12as carried by the respective base end'regions of my raised stanchions;when in operative position, a cover or fabric canopy '7 is intended tobe. snugly stretched thereover. The center region of my top cover ispreferablyarched upwardly by the use of the intermediate bow 10 which isshown pivoted to the outrigger bow 9 at 13 between the ends of thelatter. The intermediate bow 10 and the rearmost bow 9 are adapted to beextended rearwardly from or to be collapsed forwardly against the raisedstanchions 8 into alternative positions respectively indicated by Fig. lin full and in dotted outline. In a simple, light weight top of thiskind, it is not necessary to link up these radially disposed bows forcoordinated movement.

In raised position the stanchions are fixedly upheld by locking devicesthat will presently be described. The rearwardly extended outrigger bow9 may be equipt with one or more stay straps or struts such as 14, whichare preferably made up as relatively rigid metal links that are pivotedto said rear bow and depend therefrom for attachment to the brim flange50 as carried by the raised rumble seat back 4. Any suitable clasp maybe used to detachably tie down the lower free end of each such metalstrap to said back but the preferred type of snap lever type of claspdisclosed in Fig. 9,'may be conveniently manipulated while the passengeroccupies the rumble seat. The link 14 serves as a depending fixed lengthstrut that is pivotally attached to the overhanging outrigger bow andpositively guides the suspended clasp into cooperating relationship withsaid brim flange. l/Vhen said straps are tied in place, the top covermaterial 7 becomes stretched taut between the top bows and is heldfirmly against inadvertent lift, strong windage effeet, or the like. Mytop is further equipt with a rear curtain 16, thus providing for arumble seat top that affords ample protection to the seat occupants.

Assuming the stanchions 8 to remain raised in their forwardly inclinedmast-like prop position, then the extended outrigger bow 9 together withits cover, may readily be folded out of the way to give access to therumble seat; first by releasing said clasps, and thereupon collapsingsaid structure forwardly against the erected stanchions into the dottedposition designated a in Fig. 1. vIt is pointed out that my raised topis of the sel sustaining type and kept rearwardly spaced from the maintop without direct attachment or need of support therefrom, whichdisposition in turn facilitates access to the rumble seat and allows theoperation of either eX-.

the confines of the pit size so as to'freelydrop between thecomplementary side drip troughs 23 of Fig. 2.

My invention also comprehends a construction which permits said foldedtop to be bodily shifted into the stowage space 3A. For this purpose, Iprovide for a suitable carrier means or runners designated as 17 whichare pivotally associated with the re spective lower orbase ends of mystanchions. Each such carrier slidably embraces one of the complementaryguides or runways 18 which are located within the rear compartment 3 andextend downwardly from the pit .mouth 19A and forwardly of the rumbleseat into the stowage 3A in the fashion indicated in Fig. 1.

Each such runway preferably comprises companion bars havinginterconnected ends and which bars are parallelly spaced to provide foran interposed longitudinal slot 39. Said complementary guideways arerespectively mounted contiguous to opposite ends of the rumble seat. Therespective lowermost guide ends may be bracketed at 20 for securement tothe compartment floor 21, while the uppermost guide ends are preferablyextended up through said entranceway 3B and rearwardly over thetransverse seat edge 2A for attachment underneath the respective sidedrip troughs 23 of the pit mouth. To this end, the bottom of each troughmay be drilled to receive a fastening screw 23 and thus secure theterminal flange 22 in place. These simple concealed drillings forfastening the guides thereto represent the more essential machine workthat is required to equip a used-car rumble-seat with my attachableauxiliary top. In raised-position, said stanchions virtually becomeclamped to the respective longitudinal side edges 23 of the pit month,which in turn allows of using a relatively short fixed-length prop for agiven canopy head room and renders my topsufficiently rigid againstside-sway to withstand heavy windage efiects.

Each guide 18 is also shown as having a supplementary two-part supportcomprising an arm or extension 25 near its upper end to which is pivotedand adjustably secured a connecting member 26 having a flange 27 that issecured to the under side of the frame member 23 by means of a suitablescrew 28. The upper end of each guide 8 thus has two points ofattachment with the frame member 23 thereby making an extremely rigidstructure.

The purpose of making the connecting member 26 separate from the arm 25and adjustable thereon is to provide a connection which will enable oneand the same guide 18 to be firmly installed in various automobiles eventhough the rumble pit may vary some-' what in shape and size.

' The connecting member 26 is secured to the arm 25 through the mediumof a clamping screw 29 which screw threads into said arm and shiftablyoperates in a slot 30 formed in the member 26 (see Figs. 3 and 6).

The carrier or runner 17 comprises a body portion 31 that is slotted at40 in registry with the slot 39 and overlies the guideway 18. Said bodyis also provided with a plurality of prong-like claws or projections 33and 34 disposed to slidably embrace said guideway, the claw 34 beingkept longer than the others and adapted to enter a socket 35 formed inthe supplemental arm 25 and serving as stop means when the runner hasbeen elevated into its topmost or operative position. My carrier isfurther equipt with an upstanding brace arm 32 which cooperates with thestanchion 8 to rigidly lock the latter in its raised position. The freeextremity of said brace is provided with a keyway 45 adapted to receivea cooperating locking pin 46 as carried laterally by the stanchion 8.

The base end of each stanchion is pivoted to its carrier through themedium of a combined locking and pivot bolt 36, of which the shank isprovided with a shouldered square portion 37 and an adjacent roundportion 38. Said squared shank extends through the guide slot 39 andalso through the relative shorter carrier slot 40, while the round shankportion extends through the lower or base end of a stanchion in theassembled manner of Fig. 5.

Each clamping bolt 36 is screw threaded and carries a clamping nut 41 aswell as a stop nut 42 which is rigidly secured to the bolt and whichserves to limit the backingoif movement of the clamping nut 41. Eachguide 18 is formed at the upper end of the slot 39 with an offsetlocking notch 43 and the carrier slot 40 is likewise provided with asimilar notch 44, said notches being disposed to align when the carrieris at the upper end of its movement as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

l/Vhen the top is put up ready for use the elevated carriers 17 will beat the upper end of the guides 18 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and thesquare portion 37 of the locking bolts 36 will occupy the notches 43 and44 while the pins 46 in the bows will rest in the notches 45 of thebrace members 32. The tightening of the clamping nut 41 will serve tolock the parts in these positions and the front stanchion 8 will,therefore, be rigidly held in a forwardly inclined position having arectangular relation to the guideway path because of the engagement ofthe clamping bolt 36 in the notches 43, 44 and the engagement of thepins 46 in the notches 45. lVhen the top is spread as indicated in Fig.1 and the struts 14 are clamped to the upper edge 15 of the rumble seatback 4 the entire top structure will be rigidly held in position. It ispreferred to keep the topmost end of each guideway well rearward of thetransverse pit edge 1913 in order to obviate interference therewithwhile the folded top is being bodily shifted into stowage.

The relatively short slot 40 in the carrier body 31, allows the clampingbolt 36 to shift lengthwise thereof and to bring the lower end of thereleased stanchion 8 into the shortened teleseoped relation along thecarrier that is indicated in dotted outline by Fig. 12. Such extensiblebow supporting means provides for ample head room under the raisedcanopy and still makes possible to store correspondingly longerstanchions underneath a relatively low deck into position Z2 of Fig. 1.Where the deck room is not similarly crowded, the runnor slot 40 mightbe dispensed with.

When it is desired to store the top in the compartment 3 said top willfirst be folded as shown by the dotted line positiona, in Fig. 1 and theclamping nuts 41 will then be loosened. When this is done the bows 8 canbe raised slightly relative to the runners 17 into the position shown inFig. 4, this raising movement carrying the square portions 37 of theclamping bolts 36 out of the notches 43, 44 into alignment with theslots 39, 40 and also lifting the pins 46 out of engagement with thenotches 45. As intimated, all of such operations are intended to beperformed by the seated occupant of said rumble compartment. If now thereleased stanchions together with the folded outrigger how, are swungrearwardly about the carrier pivots 38 and toward the body of the seatedoccupant, the carriers 17 may readily be slid down the respectiveguideways 18 toward the lowermost ends thereof; in the meantime thefolded bow-crown portion of my top is shifted over the knees of the seatoccupants and manipulated so as to slip underneath the overhanging deckedge 1913 when it may be pushed forwardly toward the partition wall 47into the stored position 1) represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thetransverse crown members of the folded bows are preferably made to lieadjacent to the underside of the deck and are retained in place bysuitable straps or other fastening devices. The complementary stanchionsare directed downward and are sufiiciently spaced apart to provideunobstructed foot room for the seat occupants.

then it is desired to raise the auxiliary top from stowage into shelterposition, all of the described operations are reversed. Since my lightweight top lies wholly ahead of the rumble seat, it may be bodilyelevated without undue muscular effort. In raised position, the props 8stand well ahead of the seat occupant and out of direct line of visionwhen looking sidewards. By virtue of the improvements herein embodied arumble seat top structure may be adjusted into di'fierent positions tosuit individual preferences on the part of the seat occupants and whennot needed, said top may be easily guided into storage space where it isplaced wholly out of the way but kept ready for instant use.

It now remains to further describe my clasps for clamping thestay-straps or struts 14 to the raised back of the rumble seat. Eachdepending stay-strap has secured at its lower end a box-like body orshoe 49 (see Figs. 9 to 13) which is adapted to rest on the brim flange50 of the back 4 of the rumble seat. Said shoe is provided with a lip ordepending stop shoulder 51 to engage the edge of the flange 50, andoverhanging this shoulder, 1s a kick-off horn 56. A fulcrum pin-52extends between the spaced side-walls of the body 49 and this pin ispivotally carried by the staystrap or metal link 14; hence when my topis erected as shown in Fig. 1, said shoe face may readily be guided intocooperative relation with said brim flange.

Mounted upon the fulcrum pin 52 is a manipulative snap lever 53 andintermediate the ends thereof, the lever-throw is drilled at 54 topivotally mount and for an inverted toggle joint with one end of theresilient C-shaped clamping jaw 55. The opposite clamp jaw is intendedto reach underneath and grip the brim flange 50 in the manner shown inFig. 9. The corresponding released clasp position is shown in Fig. 13where the snap leverhas.

been partially thrown downwardly in a clockwise direction ahead of thebody fulcrum 52; this in turn, prys the resilient aw againstthe horn 56and causes the lower free end of the C-shaped member to retract.Continued lever movement entirely withdraws said lower jaw end free fromthe brim flange 50, whereupon the stay-strap together with its attachedclasp can be bodily lifted without interference.

When embracing the brim flange in operative position (see Fig. 9), theclasp construction is such that'the pivoted throw end 54 ofthe clampingaw will be carried beyond the dead center position in which the contactpoints of both spring ends fall into a substantially alignedrelationship with the fulcrum pin 52; hence the resiliency of the jawspring automatically retains the lever 53 in its raised operativeposition ready to be snapped forwardly and downwardly into its releasedposition (see Fig. 13).

Each shoe 49 will preferablybe provided with a suitable detachablefastener to which the lower edge of the curtain 16 may be detachablysecured. The fastener herein shown is of the type which comprises agrommet 58 having an oblong opening secured to the lower edge of thecurtain and a 'swivelled button 57 adapted to be passed through thegrommet and then turned through 90 so as to extend across the opening ofthe grommet. The lower edge of the curtain and the grommet 58 overlapthe upper end- 15 ofthe seat back 4 and thus prevent the shoe frommoving toward the right (Fig. 9).

,The clamp for clamping the shoe to the seat back can be easily operatedby persons sitting on the rumble seat and the clamping nuts 41 can alsobe operated by such persons so that the raising of the top or thestoring of it into the compartment can be very easily ac'complishedbythe occupants of the rumble seat.

Since the opening 61 of this bearing member is offset from the centerthe lowerend of the bow 8. will be carried slightly to the rear whichwill tip the top of the bow forwardly thereby taking up the slack. Onthe, other hand,zif it is found that when the top-is installed the frontbow 8 occupies such a position that the shoes 49 cannot quite reach thetop edge 15 of the back seat then a bearing member 60, such as shown atthe right in Fig. 8, will be used which will result in throwing thelower end of the bows 8 forwardly about the pins46 as pivots which willcause the upper end of the bow to swing backwardly slightly. 7

62 indicates a reinforcing member which is used at each end of the'bow8. This reinforcing member is provided with the oblong aperture toreceive the bearing member and it is also provided with a slot toreceive the rib 63 of the bow. This reinforcing member 62 furnishesanadded length of bearing for the bearing member 60 and gives addedstrength to the bow at the pivotal point.

In order that the top fabric 7 may be always taut when the top israised, there is provided. a construction whereby the angularinclination of the erected stanchion 8 may be adjustably tilted withreference to its supporting brace member 32. Fig. 7 shows the lower endof each stanchion provided with an oblong slot 59 adapted to receive aneccentric bushing 60 having a bore 61, through which the clamping bolt36 extends. Fig. 8 shows a plurality of such bushings, each with thebore in a relatively different position and by the use of one or anotherof these adjusting bushings, the uppermost end of the stanchion 8 may bethrown forwardly or rearwardly about its locking pin 46 and thuscorrespondingly slacken or tighten the fabric tension.

As a further refinement, the apertured reenforcing clip (see Fig. 14)may be'used to receive the bushing 60 and said clip may also be slottedto straddle the rib 63 of the stanchion 8 in the manner disclosed inFigs. 3 and 15. Said clip furnishes added bearing length for the bushing60 and augmented strength to the bow .at this pivotal point. Y

My auxiliary top structure is made selfsustaining, and'the mounting ofits erected props provides for ample lateral rigidity v plementary bracemeans such as conventionally require attachment to the main forward topor the like; any such extraneous supports not only tend to deface theneat trim of the car as a whole, but interfere with expeditious handlingwhen it is desired to manipulate the rumble seat top.

As a further outstanding feature, the described rumble seat top cantherefore be raised or lowered wholly independent of the main top 1D,and should the latter be of the collapsible type conventional toroadsters or the like, such tops can still be independently folded backupon the rear deck 19 without any interference whatsoever with myauxiliary top.

It is to be understood that various changes in the structural detailsand mode of application of my top may be resorted to in likewisecarrying out my illustrative top embodiment as applied to rumble seats,all without departing from the spirit and scope of my inventionheretofore described and more particularly pointed out in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. The combination with an automobile having a rear deck compartmentprovided with an opening thereto and equipped with a forwardly facedrumble seat in said compartment, of guides obliquely disposed withinsaid compartment of which the respective uppermost ends extendrearwardly over the forward seat edge and the lowermost ends extenddownwardly and forwardly therefrom, runners slidably mounted on saidguides, a folding rumble seat top pivotally connected to the runners andadapted to be opened to provide shelter for the occupants of the rumbleseat when the runners are in their uppermost position, and means to lockthe runners to their respective forwardly extended guide ends, saidrunners when unlocked being slidable to the lower ends of the guideswhen the top is folded, thereby to permit the folded top to be stored inthe forward portion of said compartment.

2. The combination with an automobile having a rear compartment with anopening leading thereto and equipped with a rumble seat in saidcompartment, of guides within said compartment which extend downwardlyand forwardly from the opening, runners slidable on said guides, afolding rumble seat top pivotally connected to the runners and adaptedto be extended to shelter the occupants of the rumble seat when therunners are in their uppermost position, and retaining means serving tolock the runners in said position and also to releasably interlock thetop to the respective runner pivots, said runners when unlocked beingslidable to the lower ends of the guides to permit the released foldedtop to be stored in the forward end of the compartment.

3. The combination with an automobile having a rear compartment providedwith an opening leading thereto and equipped with a rumble seat, ofguides within the rear compartment which extend downwardly and forwardlyfrom said opening, runners siidably mounted on the guides, a foldingrumble seat top presenting a main front bow pivotally connected to therunners, an outrigger bow pivotally connected to the front bow and topmaterial carried by said bows, means to lock the runners in theiruppermost position and said front bow rigidly to the runners, said meansincluding a reenforcing clip adapted to interlockingly cooperate withthe pivot region of the last named bow.

4. The combination with an automobile having a rear compartment with anopening leading thereto and which compartment is equipped with a rumbleseat having a seat back whose edge region is provided with a brimflange, of guides within said compartment which extend downwardly andforwardly from the opening, runners slidable on said guides, a foldingrumble seat top pivotally connected to the runners and adapted to beopened to provide shelter for the occupants of the rumble seat when therunners are in their uppermost position, means to lock the runners insaid position and the top to the runners, said runners when unlockedbeing slidable to the lower ends of the guides to permit the folded topto be stored in the forward end of the compartment, and stay strap meansincluding a laterally rigid link of which one end is pivotally swungfrom the rear edge of the opened top while the depending link endcarries a manipulative clasp that is guided into cooperative clampingrelation with said brim flange.

5. The combination with an automobile having a rear compartment providedwith an opening leading thereto and equipped with a rumble seat, ofguides within the rear compartment which extend downwardly and forwardlyfrom said opening, runners slidably mounted 011 said guides, each runnerhaving an upstanding brace arm, a folding rumble seat top comprising amain front bow pivotally connected to said runners and an outrigger bowpivotally connected to the rear of the front bow and foldable forwardlytoward said bow, means for locking the runners in their uppermostposition on the guides, and for also locking the front bow to the armsof the runners, and means for detachably connecting the rear bow to thetop of the rumble seat back.

6. The combination with an automobile equipped with a rumble seat, of afolding top for the rumble seat, said top comprising a cover material, amain front bow, and an outrigger bow pivoted to the rear of the frontbow and foldable forwardly thereagainst, strut members connected to therear of the extended outrigger bow, means for clamping said strutmembersto the top edge of the rumble seat back, and means for shiftablysupporting the front bow, the last named means including an adjustablebushing for tensioning said cover material.

7 The combination with an automobile having a rear compartment andequipped with a rumble seat having an upright back, of a folding top forthe rumble seat, said top having a main front how, a pivoted. rearoutrigger bow foldable toward the front bow, a laterally rigidstrut-like member of which one end is pivotally connected to theoutrigger rear how, suspended clasp means carried by the free strut endinto and out of clamping relation with the upper edge of the rumble seatback, guides in said compartment, runners slidable on said guides and towhich the main front how is pivoted, and means to lock the front bowrigidly in position when the runners are in their uppermost position.

8. The combination with an automobile havinga deck-overhung rearcompartment equipt with a forwardly faced rumble seat,

'of guides within the rear compartment extending downwardly from beneaththe deck and forwardly of the seat, each guide having a locking notch atits upper end, runners slidable on said guides, a folding rumble seattop, a clamping bolt carried by each runner and to which the top ispivoted, said bolts occupying the notches in the guides when the runnersare. in their uppermost position thereby locking said runners in suchposition, means to lock the top to the runners, and means for securingtherespective upper guide ends to the deck, said means comprising abracket and also a support means supplemental thereto having parts thatare relatively adjustable.

9. The combination with an automobile having a rear compartment andequipped with a rumble seat, of guidesin said compartment extendingdownwardly and forwardly, each guide having a locking notch near itsupper end, runners slidable on said guides,each runner also having alocking notch, and an'upstanding notched brace arm, a folding rumbleseat top, clamping bolts connecting the top to the runners, said boltsbeing engageable in said notches of the guides and runners, thereby tolock the runners in their elevated position, and said top havingprojections to be received in the notches of the brace arms when thebolts-are engages in said notches, whereby the top and the run ners arerigidly held in operative position.

10. The combination with an automobile equipped with a'rumble seat, of'afolding top therefor comprising a main front bow, a rearwardlyextensible outrigger bow, pivoted to the front bow and foldableforwardly thereon, strut members connected to the outrigger bow, eachstrut member having a shoe at its lower end adapted to rest on theflange at the upper edge of the rumble seat back, a resilient clampingjaw carried by each shoe and adapted to embrace said flange, and meansto clamp said jaw to the flange.

11. The combination with an automobile equipped with a rumble seat, of afolding top therefor comprising a main front bow, a rearwardlyextensible outrigger bow pivoted to the front bow and foldable forwardlythereon, strut members connected to the rear bow, a shoecarried by eachstrut member and adapted to rest on the flange at the top edge of therumble seat back, a lever pivoted to each shoe and a resilient clampingmember pivoted to the lever and adapted to embrace said flange and to beclamped thereagainst by operation of the lever.

12. In a vehicle having a front passenger compartment equipt with adrivers seat and a main top thereover, the combination of adeck-pitlocated rearwardly of said compartment, a transversely disposedrumble-seat or the like passenger seat accessible through the mouth ofthe pit and which seat is mounted in spacedrelationship from saidcompartment arranged to provide for a stowage therebetween, an auxiliarytop structure of the bodily shiftable type comprising a foldable canopyand complementary stanchions therefor, said canopy being extensiblerearwardly into shelter position over said seat, carrier means pivotallyassociated with the base region of each such stanchion serving to guidesaid top structure as a whole through the pit mouth and over the seatinto said stowage, and releasable locking means to restrain tilting ofthe stanchions about their respective carrier pivots, said means beingradially offset relative to the carrier pivot and operable when the topstructure has been shifted into raised position but allowing thestanchions to tilt freely about their respective carrier pivots whileguiding said top into stowage.

13. In an appurtenance for seat sheltering purposes that is readilyattachable to automobiles in use, the combination with a front passengercompartment and an automobile deck-pit located at the rear of saidcompartment, a transversely disposed rumble-seat mounted within thepitin spaced relationship from said compartment arranged to provide for adeck-overhung stowage therebetween, an attachable top structure of theshiftable disappearing type comprising an independently foldable canopythat when raised is extensible over said seat and further comprisingcomplementary shiftable stanchions, carrier means cooperating with thebase region of each such stanchion serving to guide said top structurebodily downwardly through the mouth of the pit and forwardly over theseat .into said stowage, a separate runway, for each of said carriers,the respective runways being disposed interiorly of the pit seatingspace in adjacency to opposite seat ends and extending from the bottomregion of said stowage obliquely upward and rearwardly over the forwardlongitudinal edge of said seat to the deck, and attachment meanssecuring the upper ends of the respective runways to the deck.

l l. In avehicle having a front passenger compartment and a deck-pitlocated rearwardly thereof, the combination of a rumbleseat or the likefor said pit mounted in spaced relationship from said compartment arnnged to provide for a deck-overhung stowage therebetween, a unitary topstructure of the bodily shiftable type comprising a foldable canopy andcomplementary stanchions upholding said canopy when raised into shelterposition over said seat, pivotal means associated with the base regionof each such stanchion, and carrier means and a cooperating runway foreach such pivot means respectively adapted to bodily guide the fold edtop structure downwardly and forwardly through the mouth of said pit andinto said stowage, said carriers each including angular brace meansadapted to shift lengthwise of their respective carriers for the purposeof reducing the head-room otherwise required beneath said deck-overhungstowage.

15. In an automobile having a front passenger compartment and a deck-pitlocated at the rear thereof, the combination of a transversely disposedrumble or like pit seat aounted in spaced relationship from saidcompartment, a back member adjoining the rearmost longitudinal edge ofsaid seat and equipped with attachment receiving means, a top structurecomprising complementary stanchions respectively disposed adjacent tothe seat ends and forwardly of the back thereof and which top structurefurther comprises a rearwardly extensible canopy that is forwardlyfoldable against said stanchions to facilitate access to the seat, astay-strap depending from the overhung end region of the extendedcanopy, and a clasp provided with a manipulative toggle lever serving todetachably secure the free end of the strap to said receiving means ofthe back member.

16. In an automobile having a front passenger compartment and a deck-pitlocated at the rear thereof, the combination of a transversely disposedrumble-seat or the like pit seat mounted in spaced relationship fromsaid con'ipartment. a back member adjoining the rearmost longitudinaledge of said seat and having an edge region equipped with a brim flangemeans, a top structure comprising complementary stanchions and a canopythat is extensible over said seat, a stay-strap depending from theextended canopy, and a clasp serving to detachably tie down the free endof said strap, said clasp including a re silient member provided withspaced jaws adapted to receive the brim flange and further includingmanipulative lever means for clamping said jaws about the interposedflange.

17. In a vehicle having a front passenger compartment and a deck-pitlocated rearwardly thereof, the combination of a rumble seat or the likefor said pit mounted in spaced relationship from said compartment toprovide for a stowage therebet veen, a unitary top of the bodilyshiftable type comprising complementary stanchions upholding a raisedcanopy, separate carrier means cooperating with the base region of therespective stanchions, said carriers each being equipt with a bodyhaving a plurality of prong-like project-ions, a separate runway foreach carrier of which certain such projections slidably embrace therunway thereof, said runway extending parallelly from beneath the deckobliquely downwardly and forwardly into said stowage, and separateattachment means securing the respective upper ends of said runways tothe deck, said means each being disposed to abut a body projection ofthe carrier cooperating therewith.

18. An automobile having a front passenger compartment and a deck-pitlocated at the rear thereof, a drip trough at the perimeter of the pitmouth, a transversely-disposed rumble seat mounted. within said pit,there being a storage space between the rumble seat and the passagecompartment, a unitary top structure of the collapsible disappearingtype comprising an independently foldable canopy that is extensible oversaid rumble seat and further comprising complementary stanchionsdisposed inwardly of the mouth perimeter of the pit, carrier meanscooperating with the base region of each stanchion, separate guidewaymeans for each of said carriers, the respective guideways being disposedinteriorly of the pit seating space adjacent to opposite ends of therumble seat and extending from the bottom region of said storage spaceobliquely upward and rearwardly over the forward longitudinal edge ofsaid rumble seat into substantial abutment with the bottom of said driptrough, and means to secure the upper ends of said guideways to saiddrip trough.

19. A vehicle having a front passage compartment equipped with a driversseat and also with a main top, said vehicle having a rear deck pitprovided with an upturned mouth having laterally-spaced side edges, aforwardly-faced rumble seat located in spaced rearward relationship fromsaid passage compartment, 21 rumble seat top structure independent fromthe main top and including a pair of complementary fixed-lengthstanchions and a foldable canopy that is wholly sustained by saidstanchions, means within the pit and below the deck for tiltablysupporting said stanchions, means for locking said stanchions fromtilting movement in top-supporting position, in which position the upperends of the stanchions are situated in front of the forward edge of thepit mouth, said foldable canopy when in position to shelter the rumbleseat extending rearwardly from the raised stanchions and being foldableforwardly against the stanchions, said stanchions, when unlocked, andthe folded top supported thereby, being tiltable rearwardly and movablewhile in a general upright position downwardly into the pit mouth, andmeans within the pit for guiding said stanehions in their movement intothe plt.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD H. BENN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,889,430. November 29, 1932.

EDWARD H. BENN.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof'the above numbered patent requiring correction as foiiows: Page 6,line 41, claim 1, for "Mrwardiy" read "rearwardly'; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correctien therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of January, A. D. 193.3.

M J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

